Climate adaptation

We have been doing some work to understand more about the risks and impacts that a changing climate will cause for our services and operations, as well as for wider Colchester. This is as part of a pilot project led by the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It is becoming increasingly important to be aware of these risks and understand actions we can take to reduce the level of impacts these risks cause us. This can be through changing our behaviors and taking action to prepare for the risks. This work is broadly known as climate adaptation. 

These webpages explain more about what climate adaptation is, the risks and hazards posed by climate change, how we will be preparing to respond to these and what actions you can take to cope with a changing climate. View the full report (PDF, 284KB).

If you would like to view the report in a more accessible format, email climate.change@colchester.gov.uk. 

What is climate adaptation?

Climate adaptation is about altering the way we conduct daily activities in order to cope with the consequences of a changing climate. A changing climate can pose risks to us (e.g. by flooding causing building damage) but can also bring about new opportunities or benefits (for example warmer winters meaning people require less heating to keep their homes warm).

Example of adaptation activities could involve making a house more resilient to extreme heat (for example by installing blinds/shading measures) or flooding (installing flood barriers or flood doors with more protection against floods than standard door). Alternatively, it could involve making the outside environment more resilient to flooding (e.g. by increasing the amount of green space that can help to absorb water) or to provide benefits to us to cope with a changing climate (e.g. planting trees for shade).

What are the key headline climate changes we are expecting to see?

The key risks expected across the UK, with some regional variability include:

• Hotter, drier summers. In Colchester, the number of days above 25 degrees could increase by 25% by 2050 compared to what we have experienced in recent times. However, when rainfall does occur it might occur more heavily posing a flood risk.
• Warmer, wetter winters. Rainfall rates in Colchester are projected to increase by 5%-16% in winter compared to recent years.